Physiology & Dentistry

You may see a grim picture when you think of living with chronic pain. In reality though, many people continue to live productive lives in spite of their pain and lack of vitality. This is because they have found ways to cope with the pain, either through medications, changing daily activities and altering or eliminating body movement. The body is wondrously made and infinitely adaptable, but it is not ultimately adaptable. This means that we adapt until we break.

Breaking The Cycle Of Pain – Everything in the circle changes when any one thing in the circle changes

Pain and pathology are signs of breakage. Luckily, when there is pain we are able to adapt our body so that the pain is disguised. For example, if you have a sore neck that hurts when you turn your head, you may adapt to the pain by twisting your body to turn your head. Eventually you get tired of twisting your body every time you want to look around and, for example, you rely more heavily on the mirrors in your car to guide you. You know there is still a blind spot but as long as you look often enough, there probably isn’t anyone in it. When you compromise like this for long enough, there will eventually be a time when that blind spot is filled by a car you knew nothing about. A blaring horn, or impact, clarifies the situation. Adapting to avoid pain eventually has consequences.

Headache, neck pain, shoulder pain, lower back pain, migraine, dizziness, tinnitus and other chronic debilitating pain is very often the result of a battle between the muscles that hold our lower jaw in position and our teeth, which determine the position in which these muscles are forced to function. In every battle, there are winners and losers and sometimes the battle ebbs and flows, so that what is winning today is losing tomorrow. Sometimes the teeth are losing the battle and get worn, chipped, sensitive or broken. Sometimes the jaw joints are losing the battle and you can have clicking, noisy or painful jaw joints. Sometimes the muscles are losing the battle and this is where you might experience headaches, migraines, shoulder pain, tingling fingers, dizziness or tinnitus.

Neuromuscular Dentistry

Neuromuscular Dentistry restores the balance and harmony between the teeth, muscles, jaw joints, the airway and joints of the upper neck. A balanced bite is when the teeth mesh together, with the jaw muscles relaxed and the airway wide open.

Finding this harmonious jaw position before beginning any major dental treatment greatly increases the life of both your restorations and your teeth and begins the journey to a pain free existence.

Call our friendly team for more information Phone 49262240

I have included a couple of links to videos that may be of interest to you. When you view these videos you will no doubt notice a heap of other links to videos that show you how to treat your TMD at home by yourself. I certainly haven’t viewed all of them, but some offer reasonable advice for the short-term relief of pain – a bit like taking a Panadol to get you through.

A friend of mine, Dr Curtis Westersund from Calgary, has made a great animation that describes TMD and its treatment. Curtis is much better at these sort of presentations than I will ever be and he has graciously given us permission to make use of his talent.

If you would like an explanation of the inter-relationship between breathing through your mouth and TMD then this link may be of interest. This explanation is a little bit technical in parts but gives an excellent overview.

Myofunctional Therapy

We provide individualized treatment to promote optimum Orofacial muscle development, function and harmony. Muscles that REST in the proper position have a positive impact on dental health, speech, swallowing and breathing.

Orofacial myofunctional Therapy (OFM) may be recommended for a variety of functional or cosmetic reasons. OFM Therapy programs are designed specifically for each individual and aim to retrain and develop healthy and harmonious orofacial musculature and promote an ideal physiological relationship with speaking, chewing and swallowing. This improves dental and orthodontic treatment outcomes; enhances one’s appearance and can help maintain optimum dental health for a lifetime of benefits.

Correct function of oral and facial muscles is paramount for correct facial development including tooth alignment, jaw shape and jaw function. Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders are any pattern involving the oral and orofacial muscles that interfere with normal growth, development and function.